Red Arrows Hawks exchanged for those from storage

319 was with the ‘Boneyard’ ,more recently she was flying with CAM (centre of aviation medicine) at Boscombe Dn and is now with the Reds.
319 is strain gauged for airframe load measurement – as such a useful a/c for fatigue data gathering.
But please note that there is no connection between the recent accident and her transfer to the reds – she had been earmarked for the reds some considerable time ago !

Is it from Hurn I thought when I last saw it a few months ago that XX319 was a 100 sqdn aircraft ??? or was it just in Leeming on maintenance.

Will the black hawk be going back to Valley now?

I recall a great deal being made out of their emergency AD use back when they were new.
Are Hawks still in AD plans?

No. The conversion work is still covered in the tech logs, but that idea was dropped soon after it was mooted.

Hi Amarok,

The Hawks allocated to the Red Arrows pool were upgraded with the mods to become T Mk 1As, they were fully combat-capable with AIM-9 compatibility and Aden pod for use as supplementary AD assets. A quick wash with water-soluble paint and they were ready to go!

I understand that the problem has arisen since the T Mk 2 programme was funded as there was no provision made for the additional rebuilt airframes needed to maintain the Red Arrows pool.

Thank you for the update
Kind regards

The Hawks allocated to the Red Arrows pool were upgraded with the mods to become T Mk 1As, they were fully combat-capable with AIM-9 compatibility and Aden pod for use as supplementary AD assets. A quick wash with water-soluble paint and they were ready to go!

I recall a great deal being made out of their emergency AD use back when they were new.
Are Hawks still in AD plans?

I suspect over the past 30 years the service Hawks have been progressively updated and modded (T1A ?) but the Arrows aircraft were only updated as necessary as they were not going to be used as trainers, but only as display aircraft.

Hi Amarok,

The Hawks allocated to the Red Arrows pool were upgraded with the mods to become T Mk 1As, they were fully combat-capable with AIM-9 compatibility and Aden pod for use as supplementary AD assets. A quick wash with water-soluble paint and they were ready to go!

I understand that the problem has arisen since the T Mk 2 programme was funded as there was no provision made for the additional rebuilt airframes needed to maintain the Red Arrows pool.

ok I will edit it thanks.

Interesting..
http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/red-arrows-16092011

Think that your thread title is misleading.

Fleet isn’t being replaced. This is just the normal rotation of the fleet from use to storage through major’s etc.

With the introduction of the new Hawk into RAF service it would make good financial sense to evaluate the Arrows fleet against the Fleet in storage with a view to swapping out for the best available.

I think you’re about right. With the draw down of the Hawk T1 fleet, it’ll be prudent to ensure the right airframes in terms of life and fatigue are available to allow the Reds to continue as long as possible in their current form, as I suspect “the plan” will have them operating the T1 long after it’s left Valley and 100Sqn service.

There was 9 at Newcastle Airport today – 8 red and one black, including the ‘new’ XX319.

When only seven of them flew over the Great North Run yesterday, I feared that they were a further aircraft down due to a tech reason; I’m glad to hear that they are getting some ‘new’ Hawks.

How about being re-equipped with 9 Typhoons :diablo: 😀

makes sense

I recall when I left the RAF in 1980 they had just converted from Gnats to Hawks. The Hawks issued to the Red Arrows were new build MK1’s from British Aerospace.
I suspect over the past 30 years the service Hawks have been progressively updated and modded (T1A ?) but the Arrows aircraft were only updated as necessary as they were not going to be used as trainers, but only as display aircraft.
With the introduction of the new Hawk into RAF service it would make good financial sense to evaluate the Arrows fleet against the Fleet in storage with a view to swapping out for the best available.

The article doesn’t actually say how many of the aircraft are destined for the
Red Arrows. Unless they all have high hours on them ?